Shaun van Rensburg

A little swan told me that you’re struggling with procrastination. I think it’s good that we’re having this tête-à-tête today instead of discussing it in a classroom. It’s a rather personal topic. You see, you’re definitely not the only one who struggles with it. A lot of people do, and so do I.

In the last couple of weeks, I’ve really been wondering why this is. I love to write, but I just can’t seem to sit down and put the pedal to the metal sometimes. It makes me feel like a failure, a fraud, a trickster with a typewriter. It also doesn’t help that I have Stephen King’s voice in the back of my head, condemning me to obscurity for shying away from the work. “Do it,” he says, “And if you don’t go the extra mile, are you even a writer anyway?” Mr King, if you’re reading this (which I doubt you are) I do apologise if I’ve summed it up wrong, but that story of your son’s guitar lessons stuck with me—and, well, I suppose that’s where that little voice comes from.

Clarifying Procrastination

The amount of self-help books dedicated to helping people overcome procrastination could probably fill a small library—not to mention the copious amount of articles, blog posts, and discussions online. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent a good deal of time procrastinating by reading about how to overcome procrastination. Funny how that works, isn’t it?

Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not one of those people who believe procrastination is about laziness. Procrastination—at least, as I’ve identified it—is delaying one task in favour of another simply because you’re scared you won’t do it properly. A good example? Cleaning or exercising instead of writing.

I’ve thought about it often and deeply, and I’ve come to the conclusion that for me (and likely for you as well), it’s the scope of the task at hand. The more intimidating it seems, the more likely I’ll put it off. Not logical. Not helpful. Very human, though.

The bottom line? Procrastination is the act of (significantly) delaying a task that can be done now, even though there might be negative consequences for doing so. And the worst part? You’re aware of it. I’m aware of it. Every time, we suffer, we say “Never again!” and then, for some inexplicable reason, we end up repeating the cycle.

“But the self is not something one finds; it is something one creates.”

Thomas S. Szasz

For Goodness Sake, Why Do We Procrastinate?

Honestly, it’s a drug. I don’t really know what else to compare it to. You know it’s bad for you, you know you need to stop, but you return to it time and time again. Procrastination is an addiction because humans are wired to take the path of least resistance. Procrastination isn’t even a recent development. People have been procrastinating since the beginning of time. We are creatures of comfort. Procrastination is easier now than ever, and it’s pretty comfortable—until it isn’t.

Perfection and the Fear

For me—and I suspect a lot of other writers—the act of procrastination is a byproduct of perfectionism and the fear that whatever we do, our work will never turn out the way we want it. As I said before, it’s intimidating. So we delay, we wait for Inspiration (oh, that infuriating and elusive enemy of writing!) and we hope that, when she comes, she brings Perfection. Sometimes, I do get blessed with a paragraph or two I love, and then, as quickly as she descended, Inspiration dissipates and leaves me wondering how to deal with the drivel that comes after those two wonderful paragraphs. More often than not, though, Inspiration comes too late or doesn’t come at all—and I’m stuck relying on her sisters, Motivation and Determination (along with the divine boons of caffeine and bonbons) to help me steer my writing to the deadline. 

It’s not a healthy relationship. Once you realise it—once I realise it (which, I hope, will be sooner rather than later)—it’ll probably be easier to get over the fear that the absenteeism of Inspiration and Perfection summons in us all.

Constructive Procrastination

Yes, you read that right. I’m one of the fortunate people (if you can call us that) who procrastinates constructively. I exercise. If you see me in the gym? It’s probably because I’m supposed to be sitting in a chair and writing. The chemical hit from exercise makes me feel good; it makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something—so why, you may think, am I complaining? Well, exercising isn’t getting me closer to the goals I want to achieve in my career. More importantly, I’m not getting paid to exercise. And, guess what? When I was recovering from a recent injury, I took to procrastinating in less constructive ways. One way of procrastinating may seem better than another, but, at the end of the day, it’s the same unhelpful mentality: I’ll do it later.

Procrastinators Anonymous

My friend and editor, Michelle Meyer (from Blue Leaf Editing), makes everything seem so effortless. She has her ducks in a row, while mine are scattered all across the pond—and in the woods and amongst the lily pads. I’ve asked her how she does it. Her response was irritatingly simple: it’s about process and outcome. You’ve got to follow certain steps to achieve a certain goal. It’s logical advice, practical, even—but easier said than done. The point, though, is that it can be done. Let’s try to see how…

1. Acknowledgement

Now, I talk positively about the work I’m avoiding. I’ll say: “It won’t be that difficult. It won’t take too long. I’ve already planned it out.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves! The first step with all bad habits and addictions is, you guessed it, acknowledgement.

It might seem obvious—“Of course I know I’ve got a problem,” you may think. “That’s why I’m here!”—but acknowledgement doesn’t just apply to identifying the problem as a whole. You’ve got to realise when you’re doing it. Scrolling Instagram? Chances are you need to be doing something else. Are you watching funny cat videos on YouTube? Again, you’ve probably gotten to that little corner of the internet (as we all have) by procrastinating. Identify it, acknowledge it, and that’ll be the first step in taking charge of it.

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”

Ernest Hemingway

2. Small Steps for Long Journeys

Break it down into pieces. Don’t look at the task as a whole. One step at a time. This might be one of the most effective bits of advice that I’ve received with regard to combating procrastination. As I’ve said, the scope of the work is always intimidating. But a piece of it? Not so much. You don’t climb a mountain by taking a giant leap to the top. You start with one step in front of the other, and when you look back, you might be surprised at how much of it you’ve scaled.

The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is one of the more helpful time management techniques that I’ve come across. Basically, you separate work into four 25- to 45-minute sessions. Between each work session, you take a 5- to 10-minute break. Once you’ve completed four work sessions, you’re free to take a longer break before repeating the cycle. It really helps with breaking down tasks into digestible pieces. You can read more about it here.

3. Forming Good Writing Habits

As far as I understand it (and I’m no psychologist, mind you) habits are a way to fool our desire to take the path of least resistance. They’re kind of like a cheat code for life, if you will—albeit not as instant as many of us would like. You form a habit through consistent and repeated behaviour of a certain task. Your mind will start to recognise the action and make it easier for you to choose to perform it in the future. A stupid example? Checking your phone when you wake up in the morning. Oh, yes, I know most of us do it. Imagine if you had that same conviction to grab a pen or your laptop and start typing away. Won’t that be something?

Now, how do you go about forming habits? Well, I’ve made a list for myself that you’re more than welcome to look at:

• Stick to a routine. I don’t know if you’ve ever been around horses for an extended period of time, but, if you have, you’ll know that they usually thrive on routine. You’ll also know not to introduce too much too quickly, or they might just get a little flustered. Much like horses, sticking to a routine plays into our human need for comfort. To get to the point where we’ll stick to it, we need to set ourselves realistic and achievable goals—one by one—until we’ve built ourselves a structured routine that we enjoy.
• Stay consistent. Without consistent repetition, your mind will have a difficult time understanding what habits you’re trying to build. Consistency and routine walk hand in hand. Finding one without the other is near impossible. And, much like routine, consistency needs to be built up over time with small and achievable changes.
• Set goals. Like Michelle said, it’s process and outcome. You set a routine, you’re consistent with it, and you’ll eventually reach the goals you set for yourself. And it’s important to set those goals. Know where you’re going and what you’re working towards. How will you get to your destination if you don’t know where you’re going?
• Reward yourself. This might be the part a lot of people get wrong. Life is not a boot camp—or, at least, I don’t want it to be. You need to have something to enjoy once you’ve completed your checklist. Maybe it’s a little chocolate? Maybe it’s watching Winx Club reruns? Whatever it is, don’t feel guilty about it—but, remember, it’s only a reward if you’ve worked for it.

“Slowly is the fastest way to get where you want to be.”

André De Shields

4. Good Enough, Better Than Before

Don’t hate yourself for failing. Should I say that again? Don’t hate yourself for failing! It’s going to happen from time to time, even to the best of us. What do you do? You pick yourself up, you keep your eye on the prize, and you try to win the next battle.

As I said before, procrastination is an addiction. It’s very rare that people go cold turkey and don’t experience relapses or withdrawals. It may sound cliché, but the important thing is not to give up. You try and try and try again. If you’re not great now, you need to tell yourself that you’re good enough at the moment—and, you know what? You’re probably better than you were before.

And So We Soldier On

I guarantee you that it’s going to be a battle worth winning. It may take some time, it may take a lot of patience, but progress at any speed is progress nonetheless.

Now, I’m glad we had this little chat. I feel better already—I hope you do too. It’s remarkable, really, how giving voice to your insecurities can improve your view of them. We’re not broken, you and I; we’re just humans struggling against what comes most naturally to us. I’d say that’s commendable, isn’t it?